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Friday, February 17, 2017

The Bicentennial Adapted Score

Did you know that this is a category that still technically exists? Yeah. According to official Academy Rules, Best Original Musical can be activated if it is determined that there are enough quality-level films to qualify. All they have to do is have at least five original songs that propel the narrative, not just incidental or "poppy" songs.

Now, it didn't used to be that way. Back when this was Adapted Score, all you had to do was arrange previously-written work, or the songs within your original musical, into an instrumental score. Which, like, if that rule was still in place, the number of studios that would squeeze an extra nomination out of that would be nuts. Think of Into the Woods, Pitch Perfect, Les Miserables, Black Swan, True Grit - they all would have been nominated here, you know it. Though the fact that they couldn't open up this rule for La La Land, Sing Street, and Moana makes me wonder if anyone knows this rule exists anymore.

Anyway. The 1976 nominees included arrangements of Woody Guthrie songs; arrangements of Paul Williams songs; and Paul Williams. The folk hero took the prize...sort of:

Actually, it was Leonard Rosenman, his second Oscar in a row, as he points out, having won the previous year for Barry Lyndon; he would eventually be nominated for his original score for Cross Creek.

The nominees for Best Adapted Score:

Note: This was not submitted to my parents for consideration.

Bound for Glory

score by Leonard Rosenman

adapted from the works of Woody Guthrie

Effective, not overwhelming, not distracting, but executed in just the right places.

Bugsy Malone

score and songs by Paul Williams

Kitschy in the best way.

A Star is Born

score by Roger Kellaway

adapted by songs by Barbra Streisand, Paul Williams, et.al.

I swear I don't remember there being a score, but I certainly love the music, so....

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My rankings:

3. Bugsy Malone

2. Bound for Glory

1. A Star is Born

So, while Mr. Rosenman can sit safely at home with his two Oscars, the official vote of the Silver Screening Room goes to: